Antigen (Immunogen) : Prepared By: Victor B. Perlas JR., RMT
Antigen (Immunogen) : Prepared By: Victor B. Perlas JR., RMT
Antigen (Immunogen) : Prepared By: Victor B. Perlas JR., RMT
IMMUNOGEN
Any molecular structure that when introduced parenterally into an animal is capable of causing the production of antibodies by that animal Macromolecule capable of triggering an adaptive response by inducing the formation of antibodies or sensitized T cells in an immunocompetent host. A substance that causes a detectable immune response
ANTIGEN
A substance that reacts with antibody or sensitized T cells but may not be able to evoke an immune response in the first place Refers to the ability of a substance to combine with an antibody
ANTIGEN (IMMUNOGEN)
TWO MAJOR CLASSES OF IMMUNOGENS: 1. Thymic-dependent antigens require the help of T cells for the formation of antibody. Most immunogens are thymic dependent 2. Thymic-independent antigens or Thymicefficient antigens stimulate antibody without interacting with T cells. The response to these antigens is of the IgM class
IMMUNOGENECITY vs ANTIGENICITY
IMMUNOGENECITY - inherent ability of a substance (e.g. Immunogen) to produce an immune response ANTIGENICITY - implies both the ability to induce a response and the ability to react with the products of that response. Antigens are the ligands that react with the products of immune response
ANTIGEN (IMMUNOGEN)
EPITOPES (also called determinant groups or antigenic determinants) are the sides either on or within the antigen with which antibodies or T cell receptors react 1. Structure Size epitopes are very small (four or five amino acids or monosaccharide residues) Conformation can be linear or conformational Site on antigens surface (topographic epitopes); internal epitopes (antigens have been partially degraded in vivo)
ANTIGEN (IMMUNOGEN)
2. Function Epitopes determine the specificity of the antigen molecule, and therefore they are also known as determinant groups. Epitopes are immunoreactive only if they are spatially accessible as a result of tertiary protein structure Paratope the area of an antibody molecule that interacts with an epitope Valence of an antigen equal to the number of epitopes the antigen possesses Altering antigenicity - antigen molecules can be artificially manipulated by adding, altering or taking away of epitopes
ANTIGEN (IMMUNOGEN)
IMMUNOGENICITY The degree of immunogenicity of a molecule is influenced by several factors. The relationship between these factors can be illustrated by the following equation: